Course - Cory Oppold's Prix Fixe N Scottsdale

[BillBuitenhuys]

For dinner options, Course offers either a 5 course or 10 course tasting menu, depending on the day of the week. We did 10 course (which ended up being an amuse, 7 savory courses, 3 desserts, and a kitchen added dessert for our birthdays). We also did the wire pairing which included eight 2-3oz pours.

We were big fans of Cory's food from his time at Atlas and he really is taking his flavors and presentations to new heights at Course.

Bottom line: The food was very very good. The savory courses were all spot-on with the exception of a slightly over cali halibut. Three desserts (with a super sweet dessert wine) is too much sugar. Atmosphere is pleasantly "clean" with a set of banquette 2-tops that can be combined for larger parties, one corner round banquette (where we sat), a handful of floor tables, and seating at the bar. The service was friendly, well-versed, yet maybe a hair too attentive. The wine pairing was diverse in style, included some excellent labels, but, for me, had more misses than hits. I would go back for a different menu, but I would go with wine from the menu.

Not going to post pix of all the courses but here are some faves.

Pot pie. All the flavors you want in a pot pie but ramped way up. Trumpet mushroom, nice crusty bit, carrot, turnip, silky sauce (and a bunch of optional black truffles)

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Lobster corn dog: nice crunch, delicate lobster flavor, with a light curry. The curry is just enough to let the lobster shine.

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Duck: The sublime mole really makes this dish

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Venison: loin with demi, roasted onion and brussels.

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Some wine mishaps from my perspective. YMMV. The gewurtz served with the corn dog/curry completely obliterated the dish. Gewurtz with a big spicy curry works. Not so with a delicate curry and not with lobster. The Ogier Cote Rotie had too much oak and tannic structure for the venison. The Cavallotto barolo (which I love) was way too young with tightly wound structure to not have been decanted for 6 hours (or at all). Moscatto with pear tartin was all too flabby. Needed something with sweet and acid like a dessert chenin.

Don't let my perceived wine mishaps keep you from trying Cory's excellent food though! There is a very deep wine list (btg and bottles) and I've heard from others that they make excellent cocktails.

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[10 course tasting menu, wine pairing, optional truffles, t&t ~$500 pp]


Course
7336 E Shea Blvd
Scottsdale
https://courserestaurantaz.com/

[ToneRanger]

How busy was it when you were there? My wife and I went a couple of weeks ago and had a later (8pm) reservation on a Friday, and I was a bit surprised by how empty it was.

I think this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I feel like one of the biggest things holding Phoenix back (even compared to, say, a Denver or Atlanta) in terms of restaurants is people’s unwillingness to eat past 10pm, or even 8pm. I wouldn’t expect a strip mall on Scottsdale and Shea to be that busy later at night, but I didn’t expect it to be empty at 8pm.

[BillBuitenhuys]

Ya, I had written an addendum about this very topic but somehow deleted before posting.
During the course of our night (from 6 to 9ish pm) there were 18 covers including those already seated when we got there. When we left there was still a 6 top a few courses in and a 4 top that was wrapping up. The place seats, what, 30? 35? Given their posted hours of 5-11pm, maybe people came after we left for a 1.5hr meal but I'm guessing not. The last party (6 top) that came in while we were there was maybe 8pm (didn't check the time but we were in desserts by then). We usually eat on the earlier side as most decent restaurants are a 40+min Uber from SE Chandler but ya, seems like many other people do as well.

[ToneRanger]

Man that’s a bummer. Food was great, will definitely be encouraging people to go there. As you mentioned, cocktails were very good as well.

ETA: I definitely don’t have a problem with anyone eating early - we do it ourselves sometimes - I feel like it’s just tough to make most restaurants work with only 1-2 seatings per table each night.